


Don't Let Go

by shadowblade_tara



Series: Nyctophilia [1]
Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Deep Conversations, Gender-Neutral Venom, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Missing Scene, Possessive relationships, Slow Build, building up to relationships, that one scene that everyone keeps writing for, yeah that one, you know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-08-04 21:21:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16354544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowblade_tara/pseuds/shadowblade_tara
Summary: After the rocket explodes, Eddie struggles to keep Venom alive.





	Don't Let Go

**Author's Note:**

> Of course I dove head-first into this fandom. Of course. Also, this is my first time writing a gender-neutral character, so I'm not sure how well I did with the pronouns. If I messed up anything, please let me know, and I'll do my best to fix it.

**Good bye, Eddie.**

In a flash of clarity, Eddie knows exactly what Venom plans to do. The fire is going to kill Venom. It might kill Eddie, if the symbiote tries to hold on. So they’re not going to. They’re going to let go, let themselves die, so Eddie might live.

_“Like hell!”_ He’s not sure how, but he reaches out and grabs on, keeping hold of the burning symbiote even as they crash into the water. All the air is driven from his lungs, and it’s a struggle to find the surface and keep his tight grip on Venom. Finally, his head breaks free, gasping for air and barely treading water, Venom held tight to his chest. 

“Come on, I can’t swim back like this. I need both hands.”

The weakened alien barely reacts. Eddie growls, the sound probably less impressive than he would like it to be, and snaps. “Look, we’re in this together. Either we both live, or we both die out here, so if you don’t want me to drown, you’d better hold on!”

That seems to have the desired effect. Venom curls around his wrist like a bracelet, and their grip is just strong enough to hold on. It allows Eddie to swim to shore. He collapses against the wet sand, breathing hard, listening to the world cave in around them as the rocket continues to burn.

“Still with me, V?

**Still . . . with you.**

Eddie almost laughs. He knows he’s griming like a dumbass. He holds up his wrist, examining the symbiote. “Is that as far as you can go?” he asks gently. “I don’t really know what to do here.”

Venom slowly melts into his wrist, but the warmth there tells Eddie he can’t go much farther than that.

**Just – don’t let go.**

Eddie nods, slowly pushing himself to sit up even as he hears Anne calling his name.

“I won’t. I swear.”

/---------/

In the end, he’s not sure why he lies to Anne. He knows it’s safer for everyone in the know to assume Venom is dead. It makes his job easier. It’s easy to protect someone no one knows about.

It’s hard figuring out how to help Venom heal. It seems to help if he’s in a good mood, so he does things that make him happy. He goes for walks at night, people-watches at the market, runs in the morning, goes to the gym every other evening. He’s actually building back up some muscle mass, like he had back before his life went to hell, albeit unintentionally.

Eats a shit-ton of chocolate, because Venom loves chocolate almost as much as they love meat.

_And that’s another thing Eddie is starting to contemplate, because chocolate can only hold them over for so long. He won’t watch Venom suffer just because he’s squeamish. There has to be a way._

It takes two weeks before there’s any improvement. Eddie becomes aware of it during a phone call with Anne. 

_“I saw you at the gym.”_ she’s saying. _“You’re looking good.”_

He makes a non-committal noise. “It keeps my mind off of things.” he admits. The phone sits on the counter, speaker on, while he uses both hands to scramble up some eggs. He found some bacon bits in the freezer, so he adds those as well.

And chocolate chips. Shut up.

_“Off of Venom?”_

Eddie decides to be partially honest. After all, the best place to hide a lie is between two truths. “I couldn’t protect them, Anne.” Riot’s comment about a strong host got Eddie thinking. If he’s going to protect Venom, he has to be able to protect himself. Failing that, he has to make his body strong enough to support both of them. He cannot risk losing Venom again.

Anne sighs over the phone. _“Eddie.”_

**Stronger?**

He actually drops his spoon in shock. “Dammit – shit.”

_“You okay?”_

“Yeah, just being my usual klutz of a self. Hey, let me clean this up and call you back, okay? I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He doesn’t wait for her to answer before hanging up. “Venom?”

**Still with you.**

Eddie can’t help but laugh, one hand going up to rest on his chest. Venom stretches just enough for him to feel their warmth. The relief almost brings Eddie to his knees. “Thank God. I thought – doesn’t matter. Are you getting better?”

**Stronger, yes.** There’s a faint hint of confusion that gets clearer when Eddie reaches for it. **Eddie – stronger?**

“I’m trying.”

**No need. Already strong enough.**

They’re not speaking in complete sentences, which tells him that they’re still pretty hurt. Eddie holds on to that thought as he finishes up the eggs. 

**You are.** Eddie makes a face at that, but doesn’t comment, even as he adds the chocolate chips like a varnish. Venom typically doesn’t let him get away with his evasion bullshit for long. 

**We let go. You didn’t.**

“Does that actually matter?”

**It does. Have to be strong.** He gets the impression of a shrug. **You held on. We couldn’t make you let go.**

It chills him to realize Venom was actually _fighting him_ the entire time. 

**We protect you.**

“And I protect you.” Eddie snaps. “We’re in this together, V.” It’s the second time he’s said that. Maybe, eventually, he’ll get Venom to believe it.

Then again, maybe he already does. The symbiote is happy, and Eddie knows it’s not all because of the chocolate chips.

/---------/

It takes another two weeks for Venom to be almost back to full strength. This hasn’t stopped Eddie from adding chocolate chips to everything he eats. He’s starting to get a taste for the added sweetness, and Venom absolutely loves it. That alone makes it worth it.

And now that Venom is almost back to full strength, they’ve been nosing around Eddie’s system to find repairs to make. There hasn’t been many. Eddie has been making it a point to not get hurt, to allow Venom the time they need to heal themselves first. Venom is almost put out by this.

**Healthy.**

“Yeah, that’s what happens when I have a reason to take care of myself.” Eddie doesn’t even pay attention to the looks he gets. Talking to himself has the added bonus of no one being particularly willing to mess with him. The night is cool and crisp, and Venom hovers closer to the surface, enjoying the cold. “You like the weather?”

**It feels like home.**

That makes sense. “You’ll probably hate the summers, then.”

**Not as long as we are here.**

They’re definitely better – they’re speaking in complete sentences now. Eddie grins. “Home is where the heart is, huh?”

**If you want to get sentimental about it.** That makes Eddie laugh. They continue their nighttime walk, something Venom insisted on when he found out Eddie enjoyed it. They both enjoy it, actually – Eddie appreciates the exercise and lack of people, and Venom likes being able to interact with their environment without causing a lot of screaming.

“Hey, V?”

**Hm?**

“How long will we live? I mean, you keep repairing my body, so?”

There’s only a slight pause. **Theoretically, your body will deteriorate past our ability to heal. Maybe.** A shrug. **We don’t recall anyone keeping a host long enough to find out.**

So theoretically, he will die, someday. Theoretically, he could also be immortal. Eddie has no doubt that his symbiote can live long past himself. “Well, let me know if that starts to happen.” he says absently. He’ll have to find someone he can trust to pass Venom off to, someone that will care for the symbiote the way he’s come to, but that could be a long way off.

**No.**

Eddie actually pauses at that. “No?”

**We are in this together, Eddie.**

Oh. _Oh._

There’s so much Eddie could say to that. After all, minds change, people walk away – but he can’t focus on an of those thoughts long enough to voice them. He can _feel it_ , exactly what Venom means, and he knows in this, Venom will not change their mind. 

He reaches up and presses a hand to his shoulder, just below his sleeve. Venom rises from his skin, returning the pressure. 

“In that case – don’t let go.”

Venom hums in contentment.

**Never.**


End file.
